法華玄義釋籤 20.14

20.14

次引文者，證三大綱。所以引三文者，〈方便品〉法說，文義顯者。《無量義》重敘於開，為合作由。〈信解品〉委領始終五味，今昔權實無缺。若語方便，攝下二周，若語信解，復該前後，故引此三文，該通一部，本門曉示久成，故亦略引，是故正引三文義足。然三處文，文意雖具，今從易了，隨顯而說，故前之兩文，文義互彰，後之一文，該始末故。初引〈方便〉中意者，且取從頓出鹿苑文；次引《無量義》者，正當鹿苑後方等般若文；後〈信解〉者通收二文。今初〈方便品〉文，又三：初引文，次解釋，三結示。初引文中具明漸頓，云「於三七日中」者，近代釋云：但是始成不云日數。菩薩流支云：說《華嚴經》前之五會初七日說，第六會去第二七說。引《地經》云「如是我聞等成道未久」，第二七日也。復有人言：八會如前，第九會別時說。新疏破前二師釋云，第七日但說十地，故知定在第二七日；若準《深密》、《普曜》二經，第七日在鹿苑說三乘。《四分律》云第六七，《興起行》判七七。《五分律》第七日，《智論》五十七，《十二遊》一年方始說法。《過去因果經》云：「初七思惟我法妙無能受者，二七思惟上中下根，三七思惟誰應聞法，即至波羅柰為五人說四諦。」小雲法華疏云：「三七已說法華，引下文宿王華智佛在七寶菩提樹下說法華經，今佛亦爾，《因果經》略同。」今師意者，佛在法身地佛眼洞覽，豈止道場淹留三七？今明三七意有所表，表三周也。初七思惟法說，次七思惟譬說，三七思惟因緣說，皆無機故息大施小，此偏就圓為語。若通約大乘為語，初七思惟說圓，次七思惟欲說別，三七思惟欲說通，皆無機故，息大施於三藏。

Next, quoting texts is to verify the three grand outlines. The reason three texts are cited is that the 'Skillful Means' chapter is the Dharma exposition whose textual meaning is manifest. The Infinite Meanings [Sūtra] re-narrates the opening, serving as the basis for harmonization. The 'Faith and Understanding' chapter elaborates the five flavors from beginning to end, lacking neither the provisional nor the real of present and past. If one speaks of 'Skillful Means,' it subsumes the lower two cycles; if one speaks of 'Faith and Understanding,' it broadly covers before and after. Therefore, citing these three texts broadly covers the entire work. Since the Origin Gate illuminates the attainment long ago, it is also cited briefly; hence, officially citing these three texts completes the meaning. Although the intent of the texts is fully present in all three places, we now follow what is easy to understand and speak according to what is manifest; thus the textual meanings of the first two texts mutually illuminate each other, while the latter text covers the beginning and the end. First, citing the meaning in 'Skillful Means' provisionally takes the passage emerging from the sudden to the Deer Park. Next, citing the Infinite Meanings [Sūtra] precisely corresponds to the Vaipulya and Prajñā passages after the Deer Park. Lastly, 'Faith and Understanding' encompasses both passages. Now, the first passage from the 'Skillful Means' chapter also has three [parts]: first citing the text, next explaining it, third concluding and indicating. The first cited text fully clarifies the gradual and sudden. As for 'During three times seven days': modern commentators explain that it means only when first attaining [awakening], without specifying the number of days. Bodhiruci said: 'The first five assemblies of the Avataṃsaka Sūtra were spoken in the first seven days; from the sixth assembly onward was spoken in the second seven days.' He cites the Daśabhūmika Sūtra: 'Thus have I heard... not long after attaining the Way,' which is the second seven days. Others say: 'The eight assemblies were as before, while the ninth assembly was spoken at a different time.' The new commentary refutes the explanations of the previous two masters, saying: 'The seventh day only spoke the ten bhūmis, hence we know it is definitively in the second seven days. If one relies on the two sūtras Saṃdhinirmocana and Lalitavistara, on the seventh day the three vehicles were spoken in the Deer Park.' The Dharmaguptaka Vinaya says the sixth seven; the Xingqi xing [jing] determines seven sevens. The Mahīśāsaka Vinaya says the seventh day; the Da zhidu lun says fifty-seven [days]; the Twelve Years of Wandering says only after one year did he begin to teach the Dharma. The Past and Present Sūtra of Causes and Effects says: 'In the first seven [days], he reflected: "My Dharma is profound and wondrous, no one is able to receive it"; in the second seven, he reflected on the superior, middling, and inferior faculties; in the third seven, he reflected on who should hear the Dharma, and then went to Vārāṇasī to preach the four truths for the five men.' Master Xiaoyun's Commentary on the Lotus Sūtra says: 'During the three sevens, he had already spoken the Lotus Sūtra,' citing the passage below where the Buddha King of Constellations Flowery Wisdom preached the Lotus Sūtra under the seven-jeweled Bodhi tree: 'The present Buddha was also like this; it is roughly similar to the Sūtra of Causes and Effects.' Our master's intent is: when the Buddha is on the ground of the dharma body, his Buddha-eye perceives everything thoroughly—how could he merely linger in the bodhimaṇḍa for three sevens? Now, clarifying the three sevens is intended to symbolize something: it symbolizes the three cycles [of preaching]. In the first seven days, he reflected on the Dharma exposition; in the next seven, he reflected on the parable exposition; in the third seven, he reflected on the causes and conditions exposition. Because in all cases there were no suitable capacities, he suspended the great and set forth the small; this is spoken exclusively with respect to the Perfect [Teaching]. If spoken broadly with respect to the Mahāyāna: in the first seven, he reflected on preaching the Perfect; in the next seven, he reflected on desiring to preach the Separate; in the third seven, he reflected on desiring to preach the Common; because in all cases there were no suitable capacities, he suspended the great and set forth the Tripiṭaka.